Rafa's performance at the AO and the hard court season of 2013 can affect many players chances through out the year in my opinion.If Rafa does not defend his final at the AO and SF appearances at Indian wells and Miami he might fall out of top 4. (assuming the other top 3 defend their performances ofcourse).

Which means that Rafa will get to play with some one in top 4 in earlier rounds (before semis) come french open which can change a lot of things and open up opportunities for some one else.

Any thoughts?

those are all good points general.

that is exactly what is going to happen. he must have been born with 1/2 a brain to not realize that he is killing his chances everywhere by not chossing to pratice and play more on clay.

especially right now when he knows that the next knee injury will end his career.

i do think that he might lose there this time and then really catch fire after that. it may take a loss for him to realize that he could be slowly losing his grip on his beloved clay as well if he does not start focusing on it much more so now than ever before.

Nadal will be at maybe 50% at the FO this year which means he may lose a set; 1 more than usual.

Djoko and Murray will win the other 3 with Murray finally winning Wimbledon for England.

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I was at this casino minding my own business, and this guy came up to me and said, "You're gonna have to move, you're blocking a fire exit." As though if there was a fire, I wasn't gonna run. If you're flammible and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit. - Mitch Hedberg

yes he can win RG at 40% capacity........he proved so in 2006 and 2011.......in 2011, it may have been even less, at about 30% capacity........i still don't know how he won the 2011 roland garros........

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Marian Vajda to Novak Djokovic, "I saw you beat that man like I never saw no man get beat before, and the man KEPT COMING AFTER YOU! Now we don't need no man like that in our lives."

yes he can win RG at 40% capacity........he proved so in 2006 and 2011.......in 2011, it may have been even less, at about 30% capacity........i still don't know how he won the 2011 roland garros........

yes he can win RG at 40% capacity........he proved so in 2006 and 2011.......in 2011, it may have been even less, at about 30% capacity........i still don't know how he won the 2011 roland garros........

You're so full of crap.

i knew i was being modest.......it's 25% capacity to be honest........

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Marian Vajda to Novak Djokovic, "I saw you beat that man like I never saw no man get beat before, and the man KEPT COMING AFTER YOU! Now we don't need no man like that in our lives."

I'm predicting that Nole is taking Rafa out in semis and Roger in the final. Dedicated to Shank

no way.........it will take 7 hours of outstanding clay court tennis to beat nadal in a roland garros final.........djokovic and federer are/were never up for it........

Fed is not, never has been, never will be ... but Nole is a different beast all together

i am not sure even djokovic is prepared to fight for that long.........nadal no longer has a mental block against novak and that only worsens the matters for novak as far as french open is concerned.........it will be a straight set beating next time if he enters the roland garros final........

Logged

Marian Vajda to Novak Djokovic, "I saw you beat that man like I never saw no man get beat before, and the man KEPT COMING AFTER YOU! Now we don't need no man like that in our lives."

I'm predicting that Nole is taking Rafa out in semis and Roger in the final. Dedicated to Shank

no way.........it will take 7 hours of outstanding clay court tennis to beat nadal in a roland garros final.........djokovic and federer are/were never up for it........

Fed is not, never has been, never will be ... but Nole is a different beast all together &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;

i am not sure even djokovic is prepared to fight for that long.........nadal no longer has a mental block against novak and that only worsens the matters for novak as far as french open is concerned.........it will be a straight set beating next time if he enters the roland garros final........

He is ready for a long fight, but he certainly was not at the FO final.